Abstract
Wellbeing, minimalism, fake news, ecology, consumerism; all modern ideas? Not according to Regimes of Happiness where these concepts have been the subject of debate and enquiry for centuries. This book examines how happiness has been defined across time and culture aiming to unpack how society and concepts of happiness impact this. The book has two sections, the first covers historical concepts of happiness, whilst the second examines cultural differences in happiness, moving away from a focus on purely western/Christian-dominated ideas. The authors show the development of thought from religion being the primary source of happiness to a more secular viewpoint. This progress continues to recent research investigating the neuroscience of happiness, the idea of the ‘positive psychology movement’, and how mobile technology could be a powerful tool in wellbeing, despite the critical standpoint often taken of its use.
Debate has existed for thousands of years regarding happiness being caused by earthly pleasures vs. happiness in the afterlife from personal sacrifice, with some taking the middle ground that a healthy mixture is the route to happiness, with readings of Aristotle legitimising the idea of earthly happiness by the end of the Middle Ages. These binary versions of happiness can still be witnessed in modern, evangelical writings (Tice Jen, p. 94). This same chapter links evangelical ideas of happiness and the support US President Trump has enjoyed from the religious right. These similarities of debate between earthly happiness and happiness in the afterlife repeat across disparate religions and cultures, with the ancient Greeks being an influence on Christianity and Islamicate literature, while in Eastern Asia, Confucius, Mencius and the Buddha (p. 207) are primary shapers, and it is striking how often the similarities between these disparate areas of the world or schools of thought far outweigh the differences. Another recurring feature is how measurements of happiness have an impact from cultural misunderstandings of happiness experienced by Native Americans by the Puritans in North America leading to tragic consequences (p. 223) to the unreliable and invalid measures of today resulting in the same culture being rated both 5th and 75th in different rankings at the same time (p. 202).
The cross-cultural aspect of this book avoids the common western-centric, male-dominated focus. Women and their relationship to happiness is fascinating, from the notion that women are incapable of friendship as they are too ‘phlegmatic and thus too changeable’ (p. 33) to a chapter investigating literary views of female happiness in the Middle Ages. The empowering nature of the convent for women whose only other choice was marriage is explored and these same women had no qualms in questioning those in power (p. 85). The idea is also mooted that women found indigenous culture more fulfilling and progressive, being afforded autonomy and a significant role in ‘native’ compared to dominant mainstream society (p. 231).
Many of the historical beliefs outlined are connected with contemporary concepts, for example, the benefits of minimalism (‘human fulfilment based on withdrawal from the world’, p. 11) wellness, consumerism and ecological guardianship (‘Money doesn’t last, the land is forever’, p. 228). With fake news being increasingly important in modern society, Machiavelli appears to have been a master of spin interpreting greed as a ‘pursuit of happiness’, lying as ‘freedom of speech’ and cruelty as ‘justice’ (p. 58). This fits with modern ideas of individualism, as does Eudaimonia with individuals being compelled to reach their full potential. This idea tallies with recent research demonstrating that searching for constant happiness may actually increase dissatisfaction (Kahriz et al., 2019), and that altruism may be the true path to happiness (Lok and Dunne, 2020). The various authors make these contemporary links too with reference to modern-day thinkers such as Steven Pinker (2018) used in comparison to Scottish Enlightenment philosophy, for example.
For some chapters, the links to happiness theory and research seem tenuous, although this does not mean they are not interesting as work in their own right. The topics being investigated and discussed can become repetitive with the same definitions, themes and thinkers being explained numerous times throughout the book. If this piece is read as a standard book from start to finish, this can become monotonous. However, if the chapters were read individually, this could be avoided.
This book would be of interest to many disciplines, evidenced by the wide range of backgrounds possessed by the contributors. Those interested in sociology, political science, theology, psychology, history, neuroscience, English literature, anthropology and philosophy would all find something of interest and the interdisciplinary nature of the topic can be clearly observed. With stress levels in western society at an all-time high, this book is a timely reminder of how concepts of happiness have intrigued and concerned us throughout time and across cultures.